Amalgamator.



PATENTED FEB. 25, 1908.'

J. M. BARNES.

AMALGAMATOR. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

In: uoR'Rrs rsrsns c0, WASHINGTON, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. BARNES, OF IDAHO SPRINGS, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE BARNES MINING, MILLING AND MACHINERY COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

AMALGAMA'IOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1908.

Application filed December 3. 1906. Serial No. 346.183.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. BARNES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Idaho Springs, in the county of Clear Creek and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amalgamators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in amalgamating apparatus, my object being to provide a construction more especially adapted for saving the precious mineral particles existing in a free state, but which are so fine that under ordinary circumstances they are held in suspension by the water with which the material to be treated is mingled. The free mineral particles of this In my improved construction I provide a.

receptacle or tank preferably cylindrical in shape and occupying an upright position. Within this tank is centrally journaled a shaft carrying a spirally arranged plate connected to rotate with the shaft and of sufficient diameter to work easily within this cylindrical tank, thus embracing or approximately embracing the entire volume thereof. This shaft is preferably hollow to permit the feeding of the pulp to the tank through the said shaft whose lower portion is perforated for the purpose. It is evident, however, that the pul may be fed to the tank in any other suitable manner. However, by feeding it through the centrally located hollow shaft, there is no disturbance or interference with the working of the device.

WVhen the construction is in use, the shaft together with the spirally arranged plate is rotated in a direction to cause the auger-like structure to impart an upward movement to the material within the tank, thus bringing both surfaces advantageously in contact with the pulp and giving the free mineral particles an excellent opportunity to cling to the said plate, both surfaces of which are coated with mercury for the purpose. The said spiral plate is preferably formed in sections which are readily removable from the shaft to facilitate the removal of the amalgam therefrom after the apparatus has been employed a suflicient length of time to necessitate a clean up.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, I will proceed to describe the same in detail reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through the tank of my improved amalgamator, the auger-like structure being shown partly in section and partly in elevation. Fig. 2 is an elevation of one of the sections of the spiral or screw-shaped amalgamating plate. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is a detail of the hollow shaft. Fig. 5 is a top plan View of a section of the amalgamating plate.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a tank which as shown is cylindrical in shape and mounted upon a suitable base 6 the same being held in place thereon by angle clips 7, one member of which is secured to the base by screws 8, while the other or upwardly projecting member closely engages the exterior surface of the tank at the bottom. The top of this tank is provided with a cover 9 having a downwardly-projecting flange 10 which closely engages the outer surface of the tank at the top whereby the cover is held seourely in place. This cover is provided with discharge openings 12 through which the pulp or material under treatment passes when the machine is in operation after it has been deprived of its free metallic values by the spiral amalgamating plate as hereinafter described. This cover is also provided with a central opening through which passes the upper extremity of the hollow shaft 13 which projects some distance above the top of the tank whereby it is adapted to receive an operating pulley,14 which is secured to a sleeve 15 adapted to slip over the upper reduced extremity 13 of the shaft. The sleeve 15 below the pulley is slotted as shown at 16 to receive a pin 17 fast on the shaft, whereby the two parts are connected to rotate in unison. Below the reduced part 13 of the shaft, the latter is provided with a spiral groove 18 adapted to receive the sections 19 of the screw-shaped amalgamating plate 20. The sections 19 of this plate are of sufficient area to extend more than half Way around the hollow shaft, whereby they are held securely in place thereon when applied from the upper extremity of the shaft. In placing the sections 19 upon the shaft, the pulley would of course be absent, as would also the top 9 of the tank. The sections may then be passed over the upper extremity of the shaft until they engage the spiral groove 18, after which they will follow the spiral path of the groove. The first section placed upon the shaft will move downwardly until it reaches the lower extremity of the groove, after which the other sections will be successively applied until the entire plate is in place upon the shaft and located within the tank. The top of the tank may then be put in place, and finally the pulley 14 with which a belt 21 may be connected for operating purposes. It is evident that this belt may be connected with any suitable power. Both surfaces of the sections 19 of the plate should be coated with mercury. The inner surface of the tank should also be likewise coated in order to provide an extensive surface for catching the amalgamable values contained in the material under treatment.

When the apparatus is in use, the augerlike structure located within the tank is rotated through the instrumentality of the top pulley or otherwise as maybe desired. Simultaneously with this operation, the mate rial to be treated is fed in the form of a pulp of suitable consistency into the top of the hollow shaft, the said material passing downwardly and out through the perforations 22 in the lower part of the shaft. When the machine is in operation, the tank should be kept constantly filled with pulp. The tendency of the auger-like plate is to cause the material in the tank to travel upwardly, thus preventing any settling tendency and also preventing such an accumulation of solid material within the tank, as would have a tendency to clog the conveyer or auger-like structure. During this operation there is supposed to be a constant inflow of pulp through the hollow shaft, and an outflow of pulp through the openings in the top of the tank. During this operation the spiral plate with its mercury-coated surfaces, is constantly brought in contact with the free mineral values which adhere thereto by virtue of their aflinity for the mercury.

When the spiral mercury-coated plates are sufliciently laden with amalgam, the apparatus may be stopped, and the plates removed for cleaning up purposes. This is accomplished by scraping off the amalgam from both surfaces of the spiral plate; also by scraping off the amalgam from the interior surface of the tank.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an amalgamator, the combination with a tank, of a spirally flanged hollow shaft centrally journaled in the tank and having its lower portion perforated to permit the escape of pulp from the shaft into the tank said shaft provided with a continuous spiral groove for engaging said flange, the flange of the shaft being coated with mercury for the purpose set forth.

2. In an amalgamator, the combination with a tank, of a shaft provided with a spiral flange composed of sections removably connected with the shaft said shaft provided with a continuous spiral groove for engaging 80 the flange sections, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. BARNES.

Witnesses i DENA NELsoN, 5. OBRIEN. 

